Window regulator



Dec. 29, 1936. F. Y. GATES WINDOW REGULATOR Filed April 13, 1936 Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE a. WINDOW REGULATOR Franklin Y. Gates, Salt Lake City, Utah Application April 13, 1936, Serial No. 74,193 4 Claims. (01. 268-126) This invention relates to window regulators, and more particularly, to a window regulator for closed automobiles and the like, though not restricted thereto.

3 The present application is a substitute for, and a continuation in part of one filed by me in the U. S. Patent Ofiice, January 25, 1935, and bearing Serial No. 3,408.

The principal objects of the invention are to 9"- provide;

First-A window regulator for automobiles or other motive vehicles, that is instantly operable for opening the windows.

Second.0ne that is durable and reliable in '5 operation.

. Third.--One that is simple and inexpensive.

Drivers of automobiles and other motive vehieles are constantly called upon to give trafiic signals, and for this and other purposes it is do desirable that the operator shall be enabled to quicklyopen a window through which an arm can be extended in the customary manner.

Window regulators as heretofore constructed, require an appreciable period of time for the 5 opening thereof, so that in trafiic the window must be left constantly open to the discomfort of the occupant, or else the driver has his attentiondistracted by continually operating the windowregulator, instead of being able to conucentrate his entire attention on traflic emergencies.

By means of the present invention, the openln'goperation of the window is made practically instantaneous, so that the moment the necessity 35; arises, a signal can be given. To this end, the

invention includes motive means capable of storing potential energy for positively and rapidly opening the window, together with mechanism for making this energy instantly available.

'40 The features of. this invention, for which the protection of Letters Patent of the United States is desired, are-collectively grouped in the claims concluding this specification.

In the drawing, 7 v 45- Fig. 1 represents a fragmentary inside elevation of an automobile door, portions being broken away to show an elevation of the concealed window regulator, this view being partly in section taken on the line in Fig. 2; 50 Fig. '2 represents a vertical section taken on line 2--2 in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment of this invention, the present view corresponding to that portion of Fig. 1 appearin 55' below; the line 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a detail view in perspective of a pre ferred type of independent halting means in the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 3. V

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 denotes an automobile door provided with the win- 5? dow l2, which may be slidableup and down in guide grooves I4 as usual. To the bottom of the window may be attached a member I5, having the slot I6. Adjacent the window I2 and rotatably mounted on a short shaft l3 so as to permit oscillation in a plane parallel to the plane of the window, is a sector gear I'l having an extended arm H3. The arm |8 may carry a pin I9 which is slidable in the slot l6, and engages the member I5. Thus, when the gear I! is oscil- 15 lated, the arm |8 moves up or down as the case may be, and naturally carries the window along.

In order to impart motion to the gear H, a pinion meshing with the gear and rigidly mounted on a shaft 2|, is provided. The shaft 2| maybe rotatable in a bearing in a wall 24 of the door and in a bearing formed in a bracket hanger member 25. The shaft 2| may be fixed with relation to a crank 26, which latter carries a handle knob 21. '5

The shaft I3 is rotatable in a bearing 28, which may be conveniently formed in the hanger 25. The outer end of shaft l3 may protrude and be slotted so as to receive the inner end portion 29 of a spiral spring 30. The outer end portion 3 3| of this spring may engage a stationary pin 32.

The gear I! is rigid with respect to the shaft l3, sothat when the gear is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, the spring is tensioned, and of course, reciprocally, this tension 3'5 when free to do so, is exerted to move the arm I8 in the direction counter to the arrow.

The pinion 20, together with a drum 34, are both rigidly secured on the shaft 2|. Closely encircling the drum 34, so as to exert a suitable io' constrictory pressure thereon, is a coil spring 35, one extremity 36 of which may be secured in bracket 25. The other extremity 31 of the spring 35 may project through an opening in the window sill 38 and extend to a suitable height, being provided with an operating button 39 at its extremity. Obviously, the coil spring 35 acts as a clutch upon the drum 34, and normally prevents the rotation of the drum, owing to the stationary anchorage of the spring end 36. However, as soon 0" as a downward pressure is exerted on the button 39, it tends to uncoil the spring 35 and relieve its constrictory pressure on the drum, giving the latter freedom to turn. It should be noted that in this instance, the spring 35 is so wound,

that when the crank 26 is turned counter-clockwise, this spring tends to -uncoil slightly. and to relieve the constrictory pressure from the drum 34.

In the present instance, the operation of the device is as follows: supposing the window l2 to be in the closed position where the arm l8 occupies approximately the position indicated by the dotted lines l8-l in Fig. 1. In this position, the spiral spring 30 will have been wound up to a suitable degree, and will have stored up within it, a certain amount of potential energy. This energy tends, through the gear I! and the arm l8, to pull the window down into the lowermost or open position indicated by the dotted line |2--l, if left free to do so. However, this movement is prevented by the engagement of the pinion 20 with the gear II, which tends, due to the tension of the spiral 30, to turn the drum clockwise, and therefore to apply the constrictory pressure of the coiled spring 35. Thus, the window -12 is securely held in the closed position. Now, when thequick opening of the window is desired, it is only necessary to press down slightly on the button 39. This releases the grip of the coiled spring on the drum, and allows the spiral spring 30 to exert its potential energyto pull the window down into the lowermost position, unless it is sooner stopped by taking the pressure off the button 39. To again raise the Window, the crank 26 is turned counter-clockwise in the usual manner.

The spring 30 is effective to cause energetic travel of the window throughout the entire downstroke' It will be noted in this connection that the arcuate travel of the arm IS in transmitting downward motion to the window through the medium of the pin l9 engaging in the slot I6 of the member l5, causes greatest downward acceleration of the window at the beginning and mid-point of the stroke, the downward speed tending to be de-accelerated as the arm 18 approaches the end 16a of the slot Hi.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 instantaneous halting of the window at the termination of its downward stroke is accomplished when the pin I9 contacts the end 16a of the slot IE to stop the downward motion of the arm l8. Desirably slideway pads (not shown), of a cushioning material such as felt or rubber are provided as the lateral edges of the window in the-guide grooves M to function asbuifers when the window is brought to a sudden stop as above described.

Independent means for eifecting instantaneous halting of the window at the termination of its downstroke and cushioning of the window simultaneously therewith, may be provided. A preferred form of such means is illustrated in the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4. In such embodiment'the motive mechanism is essentially the same as that of the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and like parts are indicated by the same reference numerals with the addition of a"prime, however, to those numerals referring to Figs. 3 and 4.

Such independent means preferably takes the form of a stud 40 extending from the face of the sector [1' and rigidly secured thereto. The position of the stud 40 relative to the dimensions of the sector IT is determined by the point at which it is desired to halt the downward descent of the window relative to the surrounding structure. Usually the lowestlimit of the downstroke is such that the top of the window is flush with the window sill.

In operation, the arm I8" swings downward until the pin 40 abuts against the bracket 25' and effects instantaneous halting of the downward descent of the windows. The pin 40 is preferably covered with a sleeve 4| of a cushioning material such as rubber.

Where such independent halting means is provided the pin l9 need not travel the full length of the slot l6.

Since it might be difficult to closely regulate the movement of the window for ventilation, by means of the quick operating device, this close regulation can be easily accomplished by turning the crank 26, Figs. 1 and 2 clockwise in the usual manner, this being possible because of the me- 'chanical advantage exerted through the crank,

whicheasily overcomes the normal constrictory pressure of theclutch spring 35.

Whereas this invention has been illustrated and described with reference to specific forms thereof; it is to be understood that various; changes may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

- 1. In a regulator for opening and closing a veenergy during the upstroke of the window and to impart rapid motion to said lever and therewith to said window during substantially the entire downstroke, the connecting means between said lever and said window being such as to eifect simultaneous halting and cushioningof said window substantially instantaneously at the termination of its downstroke, and releasable means for maintaining the window in its raised position.

2. In a regulator for opening and closing a vehicle window in downstrokes and up'strokes,-respectively, a motive mechanism comprising a pivoted lever connected'to. the window at the free end of said lever, a coiled spring at the'pivotal axis of the lever, said spring functioning to store energy during the upstroke of the window and to impart rapid motion to said lever and therewith to said window during substantially the entire downstroke, and means for effecting simultaneous halting and cushioning of said window substantially instantaneously at the termination of its downstroke, and releasable meansfor maintaining the window in its raised position.

3. In a regulator for opening and closing 2. vehicle window in downstrokes and .upstrokes, respectively, a motive mechanism comprising a pivoted lever connected to the window'at the free end of said lever, a coiled springat the pivotal aXis of the lever, said spring functioning to'store energy during the upstroke of the windowandsto impart rapid motion to said lever and therewith to said window during substantially .the entire downstroke, the connecting means between said lever and said window comprising a-substantially horizontal slideway disposed at the lower edge of the window, and a pin rigidly secured to the-free end of the said lever and engaging the said slideway, such connecting means being effective to accomplish simultaneous halting and cushioning of said window substantially instantaneouslyat the termination of its downstroke, and releasable means for maintaining the window at its raised position.

4. A window regulator, including in combina tion, a window, a structure inwhich the window is movable, a gear operative to actuate the window, a pinion in mesh with the gear, a drum rigid relative to the pinion, and a coiled spring encir- 

